Final grade math can look confusing at first, but the idea is simple: you combine the grade you already have with the part of the course that is still left, usually the final exam.

What you need first

Before you calculate anything, gather these three numbers:

• your current grade in the class
• the final course grade you want
• the percentage weight of the final exam

The formula

One important detail: the exam weight must be changed from a percent into a decimal.

• 30% becomes 0.30
• 20% becomes 0.20
• 15% becomes 0.15

Step-by-step example

Let’s say:

• your current grade is 82%
• you want a final course grade of 90%
• your final exam is worth 30%

Step 1: Convert the exam weight to a decimal

30% becomes 0.30

Step 2: Subtract the exam weight from 1

1 - 0.30 = 0.70

Step 3: Multiply your current grade by that number

82 × 0.70 = 57.4

Step 4: Subtract that result from your desired grade

90 - 57.4 = 32.6

Step 5: Divide by the exam weight decimal

32.6 ÷ 0.30 = 108.67

What the result means

Final grade results usually fall into one of these three situations:

• Between 0% and 100% — the goal is possible
• Above 100% — the target grade is usually not realistic
• Below 0% — you already have enough grade cushion to reach the target

Another example with a reachable target

Let’s change the target grade to 85% instead of 90%.

• Current grade = 82%
• Desired grade = 85%
• Final exam weight = 30% = 0.30

1 - 0.30 = 0.70

82 × 0.70 = 57.4

85 - 57.4 = 27.6

27.6 ÷ 0.30 = 92%

Common mistakes

• forgetting to convert the exam weight from percent to decimal
• using the wrong current grade
• mixing up the desired grade and exam score
• not checking whether the result is even realistic

Use the calculator instead of doing it by hand

If you want the faster version, use the Final Grade Calculator on School Progress Hub. It handles the math for you and gives you the needed score right away.